Jaguars fans call foul after controversial whistle robs defensive TD
Did the New England Patriots advance to their second consecutive Super Bowl and 10th overall by virtue of a blown call?
Some Jacksonville Jaguars fans think so.
Not only do they — and anyone else who was rooting against the Patriots — believe there was at least one controversial pass interference penalty against the Jaguars that set up a New England touchdown, they also point to one very close call in the fourth quarter that might have otherwise resulted in a Jacksonville touchdown.
With the Jags leading 20-10 with 13:53 left in the fourth quarter, New England had a first-and-10 at its own 45-yard line.
Trying to make something happen, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels went into his bag of tricks and pulled out a doozy.
Myles Jack with an amazing play. #Jaguars pic.twitter.com/4gGlFmhpes
— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) January 21, 2018
Brady took the snap and threw it backwards to wide receiver Danny Amendola on the right flat. Amendola then threw the ball across the field to running back Dion Lewis, who was near the left sideline.
Lewis had some running room and advanced 20 yards upfield to get inside the Jacksonville 35-yard line. But Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack made the defensive play of the game, stripping the ball from Lewis before his knee hit the ground. With the ball in his hands, Jack scrambled to his feet, untouched and started running the other way.
There was no one in front of him and its possible he may have scored to make it 27-10. However, an official blew the play dead when Jack hit the ground.
The Jags had forced a turnover, but had the ball on their own 33.
While the turnover could have been a huge momentum swing no matter where the ball was placed, Jacksonville went three-and-out and the Patriots scored on their next drive to cut the deficit to 20-17. New England would add another score late in the quarter to win 24-20.
While Patriots fans don’t believe Lewis fumbled the ball to begin with, Jacksonville fans are wondering why the play was blown dead.
If I’m a Jags fan my biggest officiating gripe would be with Myles Jack fumble recovery. Didn’t look like he was touched down post recovery. Was a wild play, but like to here explanation there.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 22, 2018
Some fans are crying foul, saying the ref shouldn’t have blown the whistle because no one had touched Jack after he stripped Lewis.
There's a really good chance this blown call ruling Myles Jack down when he would have scored a game-clinching touchdown will be the most important play of the game and it will be hardly even mentioned. He was never touched after he gained possession. JAXvsNE #AFCChampionship pic.twitter.com/1SNBhkGxom
— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) January 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/sean_jay_89/status/955417274499981313
For what it’s worth, neither Jack or Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone questioned the call after the game.
“You can’t give the Patriots any air,” Jack said. “If you get a pass interference, you get an offsides, they are going to capitalize on it. That’s what makes them so great. Little things like that, the crowd gets into, they start playing their song, Brady starts moving faster. It’s pressure.”
Clearly, the five-time Super Bowl champs capitalized on every Jacksonville mistake down the stretch.
“It is not easy, especially when you were leading most of the game,” Jack said. “It is not easy, but you have to give them credit, the Patriots, that is what they do. They stay in the game and they make plays. They made more plays than us.”
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